HEALTY PANCAKES

Blueberry Bran Pancakes

April has been on a fitness frenzy lately…. well 2 weeks at the gym.  She opened one of my runner’s magazines and found this recipe.  Credit goes to Cat Cora.  Great thing is, the kids like pancakes… healthy or not!  These turned out spongy and tastey…. anything does taste good with a healthy dose of Vermont’s greatest export… maple syrup.

 

1 1/2 cup of whole milk

1 cup of instant oat

3/4 cup of flour ( I used 1/2 cup of wheat and 1/4 cup of all purpose)

3/4 cup blueberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts(I omitted)

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1/4 cup of oat flour or oat bran

2 tablespoons of honey

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

2 beaten eggs

 

Mix well and ladle on to a hot buttered griddle.  The battle was a little running for my first impression…. but the baking powder started inflating quick enough.  Yeilds about 8 LARGE pancakes.

 

Post Christmas Brunch with the Rosol’s

Croque Madame’s & Grand Marnier French Toast with caramel sauce.

Wow!  What a nice time hosting the Rosol’s.  Too funny to find out that they looked at our house, when moving to Anthem, before we did.  Fate!?

Croque Madame’s

8 EGGS (Fried)

Black forest ham (16 slices)

8 thick slices of Black Forest ham

2 Garlic Cloves

3-4 tablespoons each of butter and Flour

10 -12 Ounces of Gruyere cheese, grated  

Sauce… Flour and butter of equal parts… 3-4 tablespoons.   Make a light rue…. we are not making gumbo… so down get it brown.  Mix with 2 cups of milk.  Get to a light simmer and bring down the heat… it will thicken.  Now add a block of grated Gruyere chees maybe 10 to 12 ounces.  Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.  Toast some thick slices of rustic bread.  Rub with garlic.  Stack warm black forest ham, then fried eggs on toast.  then cover with Sauce.

Grand Marnier French Toast with caramel sauce

Challah Bread, sliced thick

6 eggs

1/4 half and half

1-2 shots of Grand Marnier

1/2 cup of butter

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of half and half or cream

Mix butter and sugar until smooth.  Add cream and bring to a boil… 5 minutes.  Let cool and you will have your sauce.  Mix eggs, half & half and Grand Marnier until beaten well.  Dip bread in batter liberally.  Griddle with lots of butter until brown.  Top with saue.

Scalloped Potatoes and Onions

Food… Such an important and vital part of the Decoufle family. 

Today we are gathering with some friends from our Life Team at church.  It’s funny, our gatherings occilate between keg parties and hard core Bible study.  The Rosol’s are opening their house up.  Perfect setting… Pool, putting green, 6 smokers, big screen tv, pool table, playroom and let’s not forget the bloody mary bar and the kegarator!

Today, I’ll bring one of my favorite hearty side dishes.

Scalloped Potatoes and Onions

1 teasppon unsalted buter (baking pan)

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 ounces of pancetta, cut into 3/4 inch pieces

2 large onions sliced thin

Black pepper

3 tablespoons of minced Garlic

1 tablesppon of fresh thyme

6 ounces of swiss chard, blanched

2 pounds of potatoes

1 cup of Gruyere or Swiss cheese

2 cups of heavy cream

Preheat oven for 375 and butter 2 quart baking dish

Render the pancetta down.  Then add the onions and caramelize them.  Add thyme and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Set aside.

Spread layer of potatoes in bottem of pan, slightly overlapped.  Top with layer of onions, then layer of swiss chard.  Repeat until ingreadiants are used.  add the cream, top with the chesse and cover with foil.

Back until all liquid is absorbed, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue baking until golden brown and bubbly.  Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.